Portland Bicycle Accident Lawyer
Cyclists are among the most vulnerable road users, with little to protect them in collisions. When they are struck by motor vehicles, they often suffer devastating injuries.
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Experienced
Attorneys For
Injured Cyclists
Experienced
Attorneys For
Injured Cyclists
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Years of experience
Our firm has more than 100 years of combined experience helping those who have been harmed by the wrongful acts of others.
Excellence
Everything we do, we do with the goal of excellence. Our clients' futures depend upon it. We never cut corners and we never take the easy way out, welcoming the chance to go to trial for clients when necessary.
Legal advocates
We believe in “liberty and justice for all.” We believe in trial by jury. We believe in our ability to help you recover.
Cyclists are among the most vulnerable road users, with little to protect them in collisions. When they are struck by motor vehicles, they often suffer devastating injuries.
Although Portland is an extremely bicycle-friendly city, bicycle accidents still happen. On a national level, at least one bicyclist is killed in an accident every six hours.
Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC is home to Portland Bicycle Accident Lawyers who have a reputation for helping clients in uniquely difficult circumstances. We are also avid cyclists ourselves. In fact, Chuck Paulson still rides regularly a few days a week. We even joined him in riding 80 miles on his 80th birthday.
With our extensive experience, we understand how insurance companies approach bicycle accident claims and how to build strong cases for our clients. We understand the issues involved, where to look for evidence, and what injured cyclists will need to move forward.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a bicycle accident, you deserve justice. Contact our Portland Bicycle Accident Lawyer at Paulson Coletti today to learn more and schedule your free consultation. Call us at (503) 226-6361 or contact us online to get started.
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For our exceptional efforts pursuing justice on behalf of bicycle accident victims, Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC was named to the list of “Best Law Firms” by U.S. News in the practice area of personal injury litigation – plaintiffs. We have secured multiple successful verdicts for bicycle accident victims in Portland and throughout Multnomah County, including:
Our Portland personal injury lawyers understand the challenges you are facing after a bicycle accident. We know that you may have many questions as you approach the possibility of taking legal action to pursue justice after your accident. We are here to answer those questions.
The reality is that a Portland Bicycle Accident Lawyer will be a significant asset when it comes to recovering compensation for your claim. Often, at-fault parties in these situations place blame on the bicyclist for the incident. This is not fair, but when a person works with an attorney, they will have an advocate who can push back against these allegations. The role of a lawyer will include fully investigating the incident, which means uncovering all evidence needed to prove liability. In some cases, an attorney may need to liaise with an accident reconstruction expert who can provide 3D computer models based on science and math to the insurance carrier or to a personal injury jury. While an investigation is ongoing, a lawyer will work with trusted economic and medical experts to adequately calculate the total expected economic and non-economic damages the victim will likely incur. Using this information, the attorney will vigorously negotiate to recover fair compensation settlement offers from the insurance carrier. If necessary, a lawyer will fully prep the entire case for a jury trial.
The Portland bicycle accident attorneys at Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC are strong advocates for road safety, particularly for bicyclists who share the road with cars and trucks. Bicyclists are at a disadvantage due to their size, making it difficult for motorists to see them. Cyclists are also more vulnerable to injury due to their exposure to the open road. We encourage all motorists to share the road and watch out for bicyclists.
Portland, a city renowned for its vibrant cycling culture, unfortunately, is not immune to bicycle accidents. The prevalence of bicycle accidents in Portland can be attributed to several factors:
The Negligence of Motorists: This includes drivers failing to yield the right of way, opening car doors without checking for oncoming cyclists (‘dooring’), and making unsafe turns at intersections. Speeding and distracted driving further exacerbate the risk.Understanding these common causes of bicycle accidents is not only crucial for cyclists and drivers alike but also forms the basis of legal claims where liability for a bicycle accident must be established.
Bicycling is increasing in popularity in Oregon, Washington, and throughout the Pacific Northwest as an eco-friendly form of transportation, exercise, and recreation. Unfortunately, some motorists have failed to adjust their driving to accommodate the increasing number of cyclists. Of all annual bike accident victims in the U.S., close to one million are children. These statistics underscore the daily dangers cyclists face, and they highlight the importance of protecting victims of bicycle accidents. Approximately 75% of serious and fatal bicycle accidents involve head injuries. Other common examples of bike accident injuries include:
Injuries after a bicycle accident can range from aches and pains to traumatic brain injury that can permanently change your life. Our attorneys have unmatched knowledge of Oregon bike law and will work tirelessly with your insurance company and health insurance company so you don’t have to worry about medical bills and medical expenses. Your primary goal should be recovery, not paperwork. When you take us on as your Portland bicycle accident lawyer, we want you to feel as though you are taken care of. Regardless of whether you were injured on a defective bicycle or a car hit you, we’ve got your back.
Bicycle accident victims in Portland should be able to recover a wide range of types of compensation if another driver or entity was responsible for the accident. Our attorneys will work diligently to recover economic and non-economic losses on behalf of every client that we assist.
There is no set amount of compensation paid to bicycle accident victims in Portland. Rather, the total amount a person receives if their claim is successful will revolve around the severity of the injuries, whether or not there was any shared fault, the level of property damage, how long it takes to recover, and other factors. Calculating the economic damages involves adding up the total measurable losses that can be documented with receipts, bills, and invoices. However, properly calculating non-economic damages is a bit more challenging. Often, an attorney will use a multiplier method where they will take the total economic damages and then multiply this by a set number to reach a non-economic total. Alternatively, an attorney may use a per diem method to assign a dollar value to every day a person is expected to experience pain and suffering.
Determining liability after a bicycle crash in Portland can be challenging, but certainly not impossible. However, we do strongly recommend you work with a skilled attorney who has experience handling bicycle accident claims. It is very likely that the at-fault party and their insurance carrier will push back from having to pay out full compensation or from having to pay compensation at all. The only way to successfully conclude a bicycle accident insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit is to prove my ability. This will be done by gathering as much evidence as possible, which can include the following:
In many cases, the evidence mentioned above will paint a clear picture of who was at fault for the incident. However, fault is not always clear right away, and it may be necessary to work with accident reconstruction experts who can use the data gathered as well as computer and 3D modeling. Accident reconstructionists can help provide testimony to insurance carriers or to a personal injury jury to help prove what happened in the case. Proving liability and gathering evidence is a time-consuming process, and it does cost money. However, a skilled lawyer will use their resources to handle this part of the process on behalf of their client. They will be the ones to handle the upfront costs and will typically only collect legal fees after the claim is settled.
At Paulson Coletti, justice is our mission. As experienced trial attorneys, we fight for injury victims across Oregon and Washington, holding negligent parties accountable. With a proven track record in and out of the courtroom, we are dedicated to securing fair compensation for our clients. We take a client-centered approach, focusing on cases we believe in and delivering results that matter. No fees unless we win—because justice should never come with financial risk.
case results
$13.9m
Auto Accidents
$12.3m
Medical Malpractice
$5.5m
Product Liability
Jane went above and beyond our expectations and took all the hassle and worry away. I highly recommend her and her company.
Sarah D. / Client
when your life takes a serious turn, you need serious representation.
get to know usIf you or somebody you care about has been injured in a bicycle crash in Portland, there are various steps that you can take immediately and in the days and weeks that follow to help ensure that you recover adequate compensation for your losses.
The rights and obligations of bicyclists in Portland are shaped by state and local laws, designed to balance safety and efficiency on the roads. These laws address a spectrum of scenarios, from daily commutes to recreational rides, ensuring that cyclists’ rights are respected while outlining their responsibilities for safe riding practices. This legal framework is crucial for maintaining order and safety on Portland’s diverse and busy streets. In Portland, Oregon, bicyclists’ rights and responsibilities extend beyond basic road rules:
Knowing your legal rights is equally important, whether you’re a daily commuter or a weekend cyclist. For those injured in bicycle accidents, seeking knowledgeable legal representation to help assert your rights can be a decisive step towards justice and fair compensation for your injuries and related losses.
Only about 33% of all bike accidents involve automobiles, but these collisions account for the majority of serious injuries and fatalities. Drivers must learn to share the road, and legislative reform is a key contributing factor in this endeavor. Many states are now enacting new laws to help protect cyclists and many cities are installing bike lanes, bike signals and bike-accessible trails to help protect cyclists. Another important aspect of protecting cyclists, however, is the ability to take legal action after a collision in which an automobile driver was at fault. A Portland car accident lawyer is ready to take on your case and fight to secure a fair recovery on your behalf.
To learn more, or to schedule a free case evaluation with a Portland bicycle accident lawyer, please call Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC today.
If you or a loved one were seriously hurt as a result of negligence, contact us to discuss your legal options.
Call Us (503) 226-6361 
